Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame

Last updated

The Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame, or the OBMHoF, is a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 to celebrate, document and honour the legacy of the many top vocalists and musicians whose musical careers began in the metropolitan area of Omaha, Nebraska. [1] It has a particular focus on African American music from North Omaha, and is committed to honoring Omaha's blues tradition from the 1920s to the present day. The OBMHoF holds induction ceremonies every two years that highlight, but are not limited to, classical, rhythm & blues, big band, jazz and gospel music. [2]

Contents

About

Vaughn Chatman, a former Omaha rhythm-and-blues player and attorney in Sacramento, California, formed the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame in 2005. According to one local newspaper, the Hall of Fame was formed to acknowledge Omaha's own musicians. "Enough Omaha artists have impacted the industry to rival the legacy from historical music hotbeds like Kansas City, Mo. The contributions of these Omaha-bred-and-born may add up to one of black music’s largest untold stories." [3] Omaha's significance has been better known as a venue for nationally popular African American jazz, blues and rock greats, many of whom performed at the Dreamland Ballroom.

Ceremonies

The Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame hold ceremonies every two years to coincide with the bi-annual Native Omaha Days event, which draws thousands to the Near North Omaha neighborhood to celebrate the history of the African American community in Omaha. It's ceremonies have different locations, and there are varying numbers of inductees every biennium.

2005

The first inductions to the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame were in 2005. The induction ceremony was held on 4 August 2005 at Harrah's Casino in neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. There were 40 inductees: [4]

2007

The 2007 Omaha Black Music Hall Of Fame inductions ceremony was held at Qwest Center, Omaha. [5] Other musical awards were made in the Gospel/Civic/Sports Awards Ceremony, and the Blues/Classical/Jazz/R&B Awards Ceremony.

"The Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame inductees are inspirational community leaders, exceptional musicians and vocalists, including gospel pioneers who left their mark on the civic and music scene. This includes top civic leaders, musicians and vocalists who started in Omaha and moved on to other cities to pursue professional and music careers." [6]

In 2007 there were 67 total inductees into the Hall, including 23 who were deceased and 54 living. They represented a variety of music genres and connections to Omaha's Black music community. The categories included gospel, R&B, Jazz, Rock & Roll and Classical music.

2011

The 2011 inductions to the Omaha's Black Music Hall of Fame were held on July 29, 2011 at the Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska. MAN vs MAN Band's historic performance at the awards ceremony celebrated a 40-year concert reunion. Other artist performing at the event included: Maxayn, Ahnjel, Sam Singleton, and Hank Redd Jr. The 2011 inductees to the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame were: Hank Redd Jr., Jeanne Rogers, Charles "Chuck" Miller, Red Higgins, Bertha Myers, Adrienne Higgins Brown-Norman, Preston Love, Sam Singleton, Maxayn Lewis, MAN vs MAN Band: Walter McKinney, Len Harris M.D., Donald Harris, Kevin Harris, Glenn Franklin, Lonzo Franklin, Melvin Hall, Leroi Brashears, & Nils Anders Erickson; The New Breed of Soul Band and Andre Davis. web page. [7] [8]

Recipients

InducteeBornDiedActive fromMajor Skill(s)OBMHoF profileNotes
Lester Abrams 19451960sdrummer, vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter, producer [9]
Wali Ali 1970sGuitarist, singer [10]
Donnie Beck 19511970sDrummer, bass guitar, organ, piano, singer, composer, arranger [lower-alpha 1]
Ron E. Beck 19511970sDrummer, singer, composer [lower-alpha 1] [11]
Larry Bell 194120041960sGuitar, piano, drums, saxophone [lower-alpha 2]
Percy Le'Roy Chatman 19901950sSinger [lower-alpha 3]
Wesley Devereaux 1950sSinger [lower-alpha 4]
Joe Leslie Edmonson 194720021960sOrganist [lower-alpha 5]
Glenn Franklin 1970'sDrummer, Percussionist, Vocalist 2011 Inductee OBMHoF
Lonzo Franklin 20091970'sVocalist, Songwriter 2011 Inductee OBMHoF
King Richard Gardner 193220161950sGuitar [lower-alpha 6]
Vernon Garrett 1960sSinger
Melvin Hall. 1970'sBass Guitar, Acoustic Bass, Vocalist 2011 Inductee OBMHoF
Donald Harris.1970'sTenor, Alto and Soprano Sax, Vocalist, Songwriter, Producer 2011 Inductee OBMHoF
Kevin Harris. 1970'sTrombone, Vocalist, Drummer, Songwriter 2011 Inductee OBMHoF
Len Harris. 1960sKeyboardist, Organist, Songwriter, Producer, Recording Engineer Recording profile aka "The Duke" , also known for his Perfect Pitch note recognition abilities. 2011 Inductee OBMHoF
Wynonie Harris, aka "Mr. Blues"192019691940sSinger
Lloyd Hunter 19611920sTrumpeter, Band Leader
Stemsy Hunter (Stemziel Hunter)1960sSaxophone
Sylvester (Syl) Johnson (deceased)19481970sSinger
Helen Jones Woods 19251940sTrombone
Calvin Keys 19421960sjazz guitarist
Michael Andre Lewis 1960sSinger, keyboards, synthesizers, band leader, composer, producer
Merle Lewis 1970sSinger [lower-alpha 7]
Victor Lewis 19501960sDrummer
Preston Love 192120041940sAlto sax, Band Leader
Arno Lucas 1970sSinger, songwriter
Eugene "Booker" McDaniels 1950sSongwriter, producer
Walter McKinney 1960'sGuitarist, Songwriter, Vocalist, Studio Musician 2011 Inductee OBMHoF; Performed and recorded with many artists including Rose Royce
Lois “Lady Mac” McMorris 1970sLead guitar, rhythm guitar, upright bass, electric bass, keyboards, drum programmer, arranger, vocalist, composer [lower-alpha 8]
Ernest "Curly" Martin 1960sDrummer/percussionist [12]
Buddy Miles (George Miles)194520081960sDrums, vocals, band leader [13]
Professor Charles Miller 1970sTrumpeter, conductor [lower-alpha 9]
Ruth Norman 1950sComposer, pianist
Mason Prince 1950sTrumpet
Billy Rich 1950sElectric Bass Guitar [lower-alpha 10] [14]
Carolyn Rich 1960sVocalist [lower-alpha 10]
Herbie Rich 20041950sKeyboards, saxophone, singer [lower-alpha 10]
Billy Rogers195019871970sGuitarist
Carol Jean Rogers 19541970sSinger [lower-alpha 1]
Jeanne Rogers 19341960sPianist, singer [lower-alpha 1]
Keith Rogers 19541980sProducer [lower-alpha 1]
Sam Singleton. 19431960sPromoter, Producer, Vocalist 2011 Inductee OBMHoF
Leslie Orlando Smith 19491970sSinger
Steppen Stonz 19721970sThree vocalists supported by two musicians (drums and keyboards) [15]
Luigi Waites 1950spercussionist
Lalomie (Lomie) Washburn 20041960sSinger, songwriter
Richetta (Lewis) Wilson 1950sSinger

During the ceremony the Steppen Stonz were also awarded a "Showcase Legend Award". [16]


See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Jeanne Rogers is mother of twins Carol and Keith Rogers, and twins Donnie and Ron E. Beck.
  2. Larry Bell also had a degree in Tailoring and designed many of his bands' costumes.
  3. Percy Chatman, also known as "Mr. Omaha", was the brother of Vaughn Chatman who formed the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame.
  4. Wesley Devereaux is the son of Wynonie Harris
  5. "Lil" Joe Edmonson was known for his philanthropic accomplishments with his youth foundation.
  6. Richard Gardner owned four barbershops in Omaha for 46 years. They were well known as a meeting place for aspiring musicians.
  7. For a period, Merle Lewis used the stage name "Dianna St. Clair"
  8. "Lady Mac" is also an award-winning painter & sculptor, a graphic artist/designer, a poet and author, clairvoyant, a natural healer, and an ordained minister.
  9. Professor Miller also has a distinguished career as an educator, academic and author.
  10. 1 2 3 Billy, Carolyn and Herbie Rich are siblings.

Related Research Articles

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Music museum in Cleveland, Ohio, United States

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the artists, producers, engineers, and other notable figures who have influenced its development.

Wynonie Harris Musical artist

Wynonie Harris was an American blues shouter and rhythm-and-blues singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952. Harris is attributed by many music scholars to be one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. His Good Rocking Tonight is especially mentioned at least as a precursor to rock and roll.

Dinah Washington American singer, songwriter, pianist

Dinah Washington was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performed and recorded in a wide variety of styles including blues, R&B, and traditional pop music, and gave herself the title of "Queen of the Blues". She was a 1986 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Thomas A. Dorsey Gospel musician and composer (1899–1993)

Thomas Andrew Dorsey was an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music. He penned 3,000 songs, a third of them gospel, including "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley". Recordings of these sold millions of copies in both gospel and secular markets in the 20th century.

The Music of Nebraska has included a variety of country, jazz, blues, ragtime, rock and alternative rock musicians. Several towns across the state have active musical venues, with several communities having a particularly important musical legacy.

Marcia Ball Musical artist

Marcia Ball is an American blues singer and pianist raised in Vinton, Louisiana.

Bobby Howard Byrd was an American Rhythm and blues, Soul and Funk singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, bandleader and talent scout, who played an integral and important part in the development of soul and funk music in association with James Brown.

Preston Haynes Love was an American saxophonist, bandleader, and songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska, United States, best known as a sideman for jazz and rhythm and blues artists like Count Basie and Ray Charles.

Music in Omaha, Nebraska, has been a diverse and important influence in the culture of the city. Long a home to jazz, blues, funk and rock, today Omaha has dozens of subgenres represented, including Latin, alternative rock and hip hop. Omaha's historical music contributions include being the home of a thriving African American music scene from the 1920s. More recently, it is home to indie rock's "Omaha Sound" and the birthplace of one of pop music's most successful producers, Terry Lewis. Also home to Rapper/Producer King Iso who is Signed to Strange Music & Second Home To International Recording Artist Lil Christ Kross Pronounced "Chris"

Culture of Omaha, Nebraska

The culture of Omaha, Nebraska, has been partially defined by music and college sports, and by local cuisine and community theatre. The city has a long history of improving and expanding on its cultural offerings. In the 1920s, the Omaha Bee newspaper wrote, "The cultural future of Omaha seems as certain of greatness as the commercial future... The symphony orchestra, the Art institute, the Community Playhouse and other organizations are on firm foundations and Omaha is destined to be not only a bigger, but a better city, both financially and culturally." Reviewing Omaha's contemporary arts scene in 2007, the New York Times hailed the city as having "a kind of cultural awakening".

Lloyd Hunter was an American trumpeter and big band leader from North Omaha, Nebraska.

Ricky Skaggs American musician, producer, and composer

Rickie Lee Skaggs, known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, mandocaster, and banjo.

The Oregon Music Hall of Fame is an award honoring musicians from the U.S. state of Oregon. The first induction ceremony took place on October 13, 2007.

Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization that honors jazz, blues and gospel musicians in the state of Oklahoma. Housed in the former Tulsa Union Depot, which it now calls the Jazz Depot, the Hall of Fame is a music venue that hosts regular jazz performances. It is also a museum, displaying photographs, biographical information, artifacts, and memorabilia from musicians such as Chet Baker, Earl Bostic, Barney Kessel, Charlie Christian, Tommy Crook, Pat Kelley, and Jimmy Rushing.

Eddie Wilbur "Billy" Rich is an American electric bassist and blues musician. He is known for his association with Buddy Miles, John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix and especially Taj Mahal, with whom he has played since 1972. Rich was born in Omaha, Nebraska and is based out of Denver, Colorado. On July 29, 2004, Billy was inducted into the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame, and is a member of the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame.

The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization honoring the historical preservation of rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, and hip-hop music and culture.

The Memphis Music Hall of Fame, located in Memphis, Tennessee, honors Memphis musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert is held each year in Memphis. Since its establishment in 2012, the Hall of Fame has inducted more than 48 individuals or groups. It is administered by the non-profit Memphis Rock N' Soul Museum. In July 2015, the Memphis Music Hall of Fame opened a 'brick and mortar' museum and exhibit hall, which features memorabilia, video interviews, and interactive exhibits.

Dan Desdunes

Daniel F. Desdunes was a civil rights activist and musician in New Orleans and Omaha, Nebraska.

The nonprofit West Virginia Music Hall of Fame was established in 2005, to honor the legacies of the state's performing artists in multiple music genres. This hall of fame is the brainchild of its founder, musician Michael Lipton, who was inspired by a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. The first exhibit was records from his personal collection.

References

  1. (2005) "Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame." The Blues Society of Omaha. Retrieved 2 March 2007.
  2. (2005) About the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 June 2007.
  3. (2005) "A Rich Music History Long Untold",The Omaha Reader, 3 Sept 2005.
  4. OBMHoF 2005 Inductees web page.
  5. Qwest Center Omaha.
  6. OBMHoF 2007 Inductees web page.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2011-08-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2011-08-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. Official Lester Abrams web site Archived 2007-06-02 at the Wayback Machine . Bring it on Archived 2007-07-08 at the Wayback Machine .
  10. Official Wali Ali web site. Not accessible 1 July 2007.
  11. Official Ron E. Beck web site. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
  12. (nd) "Curly" Martin receives award. JazzPolice.com. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  13. "Buddy Miles - Band Merch, Merchandise, Music". Miles Per Gallon records. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  14. Official Billy Rich web site. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
  15. Official Steppen Stonz web site. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  16. (2005) Awards Steppen Stonz website. Retrieved 20 May 2007.